Hurt
by stuckbeingrachel
Summary: Sometimes, you'll get hurt, even if someone tries their hardest to protect you. A quick Joy/Jerome oneshot. I'd like this to happen on their date, let's see how it goes. Read and review!


**This is just a little oneshot that I wrote about what I'd like to happen on Joy and Jerome's date. Enjoy!**

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Jerome scratched Letdown's head and sighed. He and Joy had finally gotten him clean and now he smelled okay. He was soaked and he had clumps of bubbles clinging to his shirt. Joy looked the same and when he looked over at her, he grinned. He was happy around her, a feeling he hadn't felt in a while. He reached up and scooped a bunch of bubbles out of her hair and then blew into them, the small bubbles separating and flying into her face.

She scrunched up her face and then opened her brown eyes to glare at him. He chuckled and shrugged with a smirk playing on his thin lips. She rolled her eyes and stood up. He followed suit and Joy sighed.

"Well, thanks for helping me wash him." she smiled.

"No problem," he replied, stepping up to her.

"Um, so, we should take him back to the house." she suggested.

"He looks a little tired, I think; we should wait a while." Jerome said.

"No, I'm sure he'd want to wake up—"

"Joy, let's just leave him alone," he held her back, gripping her elbow.

She turned to the blonde slowly and nodded reluctantly.

"Are you afraid of a relationship with me?" he asked quietly.

She opened her mouth to object but he continued to speak.

"Joy, I would never, ever, hurt you." he told her, sincerity glowing in his pale blue eyes.

"I know."

Jerome stared at her for a moment before leaning in, but she pulled back. He stopped half way and let out a short, breathy chuckle.

"Why does that happen to me?" he growled under his breath, dragging a hand through his hair roughly.

"What do you mean?" Joy asked quietly, rubbing her sweaty palms against her jeans nervously.

"Mara was the same way. She never let me make a move. And now you're the same way, I'm gonna fall in love with you, and get my heartbroken just like last year."

"That's why I pulled away." she told him seriously.

"What?"

"Um, when Mara and Willow had found out you cheated on them, we decided to get you back. So we did those things to you. Willow is completely over it, but Mara doesn't want to stop. She wanted me to make you fall for me and then break your heart, as another way to get revenge. I'm sorry; I didn't want to do it. She's holding the sisterhood against me. I can't get out of that. I didn't want to hurt you like that, so that's why I had originally said no to this date."

Jerome watched her silently and she waited for his outburst, but it never came. He just licked his lips and shook his head.

"Did I hurt you anyway?"

"Yeah," he choked out. Joy could tell he was trying to keep the hurt out of his voice, but didn't quite manage it. "I like you. I guess it's not meant to be."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him close to her.

"Can I…can I at least test something out?"

"What?" she asked, eyes flitting around the room warily as she pulled away slowly.

Jerome took a deep breath and reached out, holding her shoulders in his pale hands so she could move away from him. He stopped a breath away from her lips. He wouldn't admit it, but he was scared. He wanted to like Joy, and he did like her, but he was scared that he would like her more than he liked Mara. He never imagined that it'd be possible for him to like someone more than that. He had liked Willow. Big deal. Maybe these feelings he had for Joy were like that, just an attraction. He just wanted her; he didn't need her to live. He really did hope that he would realize that during the kiss he was about to start.

He felt her tense when he pushed forward, pressing his thin lips onto her full ones. The kiss was gentle. It lasted just long enough for Jerome to memorize her lips, soft and tasting of pineapple, and the way she kissed, shy and hesitant. Maybe that was because it was him kissing her. He realized, only seconds later, that he was right, he could never like anyone more than he liked Mara Jaffray.

He pulled away and let go of her shoulders, taking a deep breath.

"Well?" Joy raised her eyebrows expectantly, knowingly.

He smiled softly, blue eyes clouding over with a faraway look. "I'm in love with Mara Jaffray."

Joy's eyes lit up with happiness for her friend. "I had my suspicions. But you do, even after those terrible things she said to you?"

"Well, yeah, I can't stop loving her for pointing out the truth." He shrugged.

Joy briefly wished that she could have that kind of love with Fabian, or anyone, but she focused on Jerome instead. "It's not the truth Jerome. You're such a good person, though you don't let people see that very often."

"I like to keep that side of me hidden; it surprises people when I do something nice randomly and without a motive to be beneficial only to me behind it."

"Whatever. Come on; let's get Letdown back to the house."

"Alright," he chuckled. "Hey, we're good, right?"

"Yeah, but only if you do something smart for the first time in your life? Get Mara back, idiot." she ordered him.

"You are so very wise, oh great and powerful Killjoy the Merciless." He smirked down at her.

"Oh ho, you think you're so funny, don't you, Hairspray?" she retorted, escorting the dog out of the drama room.

"Hey, that's Captain Hairspray to you, missy." He snapped playfully, following her and Letdown. But he knew she was right. Losing Mara was the biggest mistake of his life, and that was saying something. And with Joy's help, he was sure he could get her back.

_And he did_.

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**I don't write Joy/Jerome friendship very often, but I love that friendship, so I think I'll do more. **

**So, as you can see by the last sentence of the story 'and he did'. Yeah, that means I won't be going on with this. It is finished. I just wanted you to know that he gets her back. **

**Review? **

_**Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and redeemer. -Psalm 19:14**_

**-Rachel**


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